Breaking the wheel at last?
When a rain delay, extra innings, and a completely exhausted bullpen running on fumes — for those who weren’t still recovering from a violent plane ride — cost the Red Sox the series opener against the Minnesota Twins it looked like a case of “here we go again.” Finding momentum in baseball — both in individual games and across multiple games — is is like trying to grasp smoke with your bare hands. And it seemed like after taking two games from the Dodgers that Boston had somehow let it slip away on the road trip.
All season has been like a video game in some respects, but not the one you want. It’s been like racing your ghost in a time trial. The 2025 Red Sox performed like the 2024 Red Sox who performed like the 2023 Red Sox who performed like the 2022 Red Sox. Two of those teams ended up in last place. One finished in third. Two were under .500. One was exactly .500.
The 2025 roster had been overhauled. Alex Bregman came in to bolster the offense and defense at third base. Garrett Crochet was added atop the rotation. Aroldis Chapman at the back of the bullpen. And yet we’ve seen the same win-loss record as the past show up over and over and over. Jarren Duran and Tanner Houck, of course, took major steps back from their 2024 performance. Rafael Devers forced his way out of town. Triston Casas, of course, went missing.
All of Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer, and Roman Anthony have spent time in the majors, each positively contributing for some of their time in the big leagues. Trevor Story has remained healthy. Ceddanne “Nuf Cedd” Rafaela is able to make Gold Glove plays in center field and at second base, even if his defense is better overall in the outfield than infield.
With games paused and today being the trade deadline, the Red Sox have a chance to break out of the rut.
After 110 Games Played
The records…
2022: 54-56
2023: 57-52
2024: 58-52
2025: 59-51
Hey! Would you look at that. It’s not much, In fact, it’s as little as you could ask for while still being better. But it’s a sliver of hope.
The runs scored…
2022: 493
2023: 542
2024: 538
2025: 545
Nice, nice. What you want to see if the most recent year having the best number.
The runs allowed…
2022: 521
2023: 504
2024: 513
2025: 477
Ok, this is really showing where they made a change. Day to day we may feel like the pitching is better generically. But see a reliever come in and record no outs or watch a starter crane his neck to follow a home run. But this is an actual improvement despite the defensive woes.
There are definitely some runs scored in that total that are there because of Rafael Devers. And there are some (23) runs allowed by Tanner Houck in 4.2 innings of work across two starts. If anything the Run Prevention Unit has actually done a lot more than shows up in the raw numbers because that anomaly is the kind of thing you simply don’t expect. A worse pitcher track record wise may not have even gotten that second implosion of a start.
As we stand here the Red Sox could use a first baseman to platoon with Romy Gonzalez. They could use someone to replace Walker Buehler and/or Richard Fitts at the back of the rotation (note: Kyle Harrison from then Giants in the Devers trade could be one of those). And everyone, everywhere can use anther arm in the bullpen.
But the pitching is better. The offense is about the same overall this season though maybe not right now. The Red Sox have the same umber of win as the Yankees. They have five fewer wins that the Blue Jays and Tigers and Brewers who lead baseball. Ownership said they said to make the playoffs. This team doesn’t need much but it could use a little help to get there.